Semper Ad Meliora (Code Geass/Britannian Royalty Quest)

Randino Treviani · Apr 3, 2024

Star said:
It generally really is. I personally prefer to stay on good terms with Liuha and Lelouch taking First Husband position seems kinda forced.

We are going to be on good terms with Lihua regardless. Things might be tense at first, but make no mistake, Lihua will still have a higher SL than anyone not in our Retinue. Being first will be a sour note in an otherwise amiable relationship.

Star said:
Yes other plans may be giving to much to our allies and are focused on getting on their good side but this isn't all bad, it also means more opportunities in Brittania (remember forgein politics party is a thing and us striking alliance with China would give us some strong allies in Brittania).

We'll have that automatically just by Marrying Lihua. The extra's for Charles would be sufficient incentive to push some people worth knowing our way. The treaty is overkill. Combined with a Piety position that will necessitate Psionics related infrastructure, this necessitating security against likely Anti-psionic attack, and it becomes not only over kill, but is spreading our security thin, especially once we absorb New heaven.

Star said:
Then there's Piety option, yes Liuha isn't as focused there but that also means a lot more freedom to pursue our projects independently paired a lot more resources we would have to direct towards Psiconic research.

Which we'd already get when we integrate new heaven as part of conquering Australia, with none of the oversight or obligations. It's another case of over focusing on Psionics in response to learning about the directorate in quest, to some degree of redundancy and danger from spreading our available security thin in the medii. We will be getting one action to devote to personal projects regardless of what we pick most likely with the rest being tied up in the medium run.

It makes far more sense to grab stewardship now as the under developed state of Australia means there will be a lot of work to build it into a nation, as well as a learning action through research foundation for Jaeger and Hashima tech. The Lihua AP spent on obligation actions will help us to win her trust and affection when we deliver more impressive results when accomplishing her aims of war recovery and prosperity for her people.

Dark0 said:
Personally, the only option I'm opposed to is marrying Meihua, I simply see absolutely no reason to do so. I would even favour no marriage at all then that option. In terms of minister position, I'm happy if we get one, with a strong preference towards Stewardship but Piety and Intrigue are fine too.

It's more the combination of Piety and Treaty. Piety infrastructure or industry we will need to build to develop China's Piety Ministry is a likely target for Anti-Psionic Terrorism, which means they require security, which in conjunction with needing to secure Australia as well, leads to a likelihood of our forces spread thin as Europe responds to the treaty by carrying out more deniable espionage attacks.

Hawkmoon · Apr 3, 2024

The question is how much the marriage influences the advisor vote. Because the most popular Stewardship plan was tied to the most unpopular marriage option.
Because right now we have 82/86 (95%) that voted for a plan with a place in the administration 63/82 (76%) are ok with Piety while 42/82 (51%) are ok with Stewardship.
On the other hand marriage to empress has 67/86 (78%) with 54/67 (81%) being ok with second consort and only 30/86 (44%) are ok with plans for first consort. While 33/86 (38%) are ok with her cousin.

So basically the shipping wars influenced our political choices again. If there was a Second Consort + Stewardship from the start I think it would be a lot more popular. Unfortunately the compromise plan came to late to catch up.

It honestly should have been predictable from the start as we have always chosen heart over brain/ambition in this quest. I'm just worried we will be stuck with with basically an option which will be a massive action sink before we can see results from it and no real push to follow through as we are already building our own organization in Caledonia and have our eyes on New Heaven.
Basically like there is no real push for Gawain due to how shiny psionics are.

Honestly with how important this vote is for the quest going forward and the majority of support around certain options I would propose a runoff vote with 3 categories for most popular current results:
1. Marriage: First or Second Consort - with possible cousin as it was getting a 38% support, the no marriage plan has 31/86 (36%) votes but majority who voted for it also voted for marriage plans (only 13/86 (15%) didn't vote for a plan with Lihua Marriage)
2. Advisor: Stewardship or Piety
3. Other: Treaty, Taklamakan Desert, Key Natural Resource Monopolies, Psionic Recruitment & Research Foundation - as those are over 33% support with 2 highest results winning.

LysanderArgent · Apr 3, 2024

Personally I just don't want to marry Lihua at all. Every other vote is secondary to me.

I'm not particularly interested in her character; Lelouch already has enough lovers honestly, and I'm not enthused about Lelouch having to share the empress at all (which I fully get is hypocritical because he has a harem... but that still doesn't change how I feel).

Marrying the cousin to me is just way to solidify the alliance, but I'd be glad to remove it if that was more likely to win. I just assumed that people wanted some form of marriage alliance so I took the only one I don't hate; even if I still disliked it.

I think giving Charles what he wants gives us favor with him is good, and the treaty solidifies the relationship China and Britannia allowing any investment in China to not be lost in the future; sure it may pressure some countries, but I think they will feel pressure no matter what unless we do in China. And I voted for Piety Advisor because I honestly don't want to invest to much in China; and this seemed the best compromise that allowed us the most freedom, while also still solidifying the alliance. But I'm not emotionally invested any that.

@Hawkmoon Counting the votes by line as they are won't give you the best view of it. I've voted for literally every plan I can find that doesn't have us marrying Lihua; and I did so because I'm a one issue voter this vote, and was voting strategically; and I'm fairly certain many others acted similarly. So the counting the votes by line won't necessarily equate to peoples actual opinions.

I do like the idea of a runoff though.

Dark0 · Apr 3, 2024

LysanderArgent said:
I'm not particularly interested in her character; Lelouch already has enough lovers honestly, and I'm not enthused about Lelouch having to share the empress at all (which I fully get is hypocritical because he has a harem... but that still doesn't change how I feel).

Marrying the cousin to me is just way to solidify the alliance, but I'd be glad to remove it if that was more likely to win. I just assumed that people wanted some form of marriage alliance so I took the only one I don't hate; even if I still disliked it.

But doesn't marrying the cousin have the same problem, in terms of Lelouch already having enough lovers?

LysanderArgent · Apr 3, 2024

Dark0 said:
But doesn't marrying the cousin have the same problem, in terms of Lelouch already having enough lovers?

Correct. The cousin still has the problem that I'm not interested in her, and that Lelouch already has enough lovers, but what she doesn't have is the sharing Lihua with Xinge.

I'd prefer no marriage at all, but I assumed that people wanted some sort of marriage. So I gritted my teeth and voted for the cousin.

Randino Treviani · Apr 3, 2024

Hawkmoon said:
It honestly should have been predictable from the start as we have always chosen heart over brain/ambition in this quest.

Ehh. I feel like we were extra nice last year, last two years really, between protecting her people from new heaven and giving Xingke sanctuary, risking Lelouch's entire future on coming to lihua's aid, risking life and limb to achieve double flipping of guangzhou's forces to prevent civilian casualties, rescuing Meihua, getting her back right away despite all the conflicting priorities, that we should have some leeway here, and it's not like we can't make up for this or don't intend to.

LysanderArgent said:
I'm not particularly interested in her character

I am. You can find hundreds of stories focused on Kallen, Kaguya, Milly, Euphemia, even Sayoko features prominently in some. Of Lihua there is nothing substantial. completely under utilized despite the fact that she is positioned to important and prominent character if only someone tried. I'd really enjoying getting to see her and Lelouch interact as nuanced characters for more than an update or two.

LysanderArgent said:
And I voted for Piety Advisor because I honestly don't want to invest to much in China; and this seemed the best comprisme that allowed us the most freedom, while also still solidifying the alliance.

Umm. You realize for Piety to be useful we are automatically investing in China? It's not like we can do most of what we do without facilities, equipment, and personnel that likely aren't available to us their currently. All of which will require security against potential attack by Anti-psionic secret organizations that has been sending people after us for years. Attacks which will escalate in frequency in response to the treaty, which we will be less able to fend off once we absorb New Heaven and have to split our Ninja's to protect both.

Conversely, Stewardship personal projects could be used to feed into say, Carine's canal as an investment in trade, earning Lelouch good will from her and others investing in the project, technically fulfilling obligations to better Lihua's people's prosperity, possibly feeding back into Ashford if Carine uses the money to acquire more construction knightmares.

There is going to be a pretty steep hill to climb to modernize, industrialize, and reform the many pirate cities of Australia, and a stewardship action from lihua's pool that we could put towards personal project would go a ways towards letting us speed up the process. As long as we are still fulfilling Lihua's obligations she wouldn't object much, particularly if we give homes and jobs to immigrating chinese from overpopulated areas. Afterall, she has enough fights.

None these actions being spent are our actions. Minister is us becoming an advisor in charge of Lihua's action pool as Empress of the Chinese People.

Hawkmoon · Apr 3, 2024

LysanderArgent said:
@Hawkmoon Counting the votes by line as they are won't give you the best view of it. I've voted for literally every plan I can find that doesn't have us marrying Lihua; and I did so because I'm a one issue voter this vote, and was voting strategically; and I'm fairly certain many others acted similarly. So the counting the votes by line won't necessarily equate to peoples actual opinions.

I know it's not perfect as I just counted the percentages of voters that weren't against an option (voted at least on one plan with that option). The marriage option could have a None option which if it won would result in 3 Other options being chosen out of the 4 most popular instead of 2. But to be honest only 13/86 (15%) didn't vote for a plan with Lihua.

And honestly I'm for Lihua but I wasn't tied to first or second position.
But I absolutely don't want to be bogged down in Piety with our other options. Piety feels like a to small stage for us to shine. Uplifting China into a leading world economy, which with our stats and what we have to work with would be a giant feather in Lelouch's cap. With our stats we have a 1/4 chance for crits in Stewardship actions. Piety actions have a closer to 1/5 crit chance.

LysanderArgent · Apr 3, 2024

Randino Treviani said:
I am. You can find hundreds of stories focused on Kallen, Kaguya, Milly, Euphemia, even Sayoko features prominently in some. Of Lihua there is nothing substantial. completely under utilized despite the fact that she is positioned to important and prominent character if only someone tried. I'd really enjoying getting to see her and Lelouch interact as nuanced characters for more than an update or two.

Right but that is just a difference in taste; there is just no way to reconcile it. We disagree on this and that isn't going to change.

As for Stewardship: I'm aware now that it fits more my desires, but I wasn't aware of it when I first voted. I'd be happy to switch to plan with Stewardship, but it would have to be a plan that doesn't include marrying Lihua.

Randino Treviani · Apr 3, 2024

LysanderArgent said:
Right but that is just a difference in taste; there is just no way to reconcile it. We disagree on this and that isn't going to change.

Fair enough.

LysanderArgent said:
As for Stewardship: I'm aware now that it fits more my desires, but I wasn't aware of it when I first voted. I'd be happy to switch to plan with Stewardship, but it would have to be a plan that doesn't include marrying Lihua.

Based on the roughly 24 hours that a vote involving marrying Lihua has held the lead, if narrowly, it seems highly likely a marriage is to happen. Between the downsides I've outlined and the expressed interest in literally becoming involved in building some kind of Chinese Directorate incorporating certain other members of the CF as a grand ambitious project by certain supporters of Piety and Treaty, perhaps it's better to accept one necessary unwanted commitment to avoid being saddled with two? Just something to consider over the remaining hours.

rex754 · Apr 3, 2024

[X] Plan Alliance without Imperial Marriage

NoxOfUmbra · Apr 3, 2024

I do not like A Better China just for the First husband position, which we don't want because of all the commitments and public appearances that come with it, I'm voting for the version that has us as second husband however. Please note we have been told on 2 occasions how the best outcome comes from Second Husband, as much as people hate the first one, once in the guide and once through the Euphemia opinion. It's just the most balanced and logical approach in both required and expected investment on our part, and in the benefits we can bring to China and to ourselves.

As such I cannot vote for [] Plan A Better China with Uncle Victor, and I'm very firm on my opinion about that point, even when that plan has all the other options I truly want.

Edit: There is also the difficulty in getting enough votes when people normally just vote and don't come back until the vote's closed or something. Can we get +30 votes in 11 hours?

ThatGuyWithIdeas · Apr 3, 2024

The main issue with the leading plan and the runner-up is the Piety advisor position, which doesn't seem all that worth it and will likely take a lot of time to get us anything that's good for us. In my eyes, it would be better to take the Stewardship advisor position, since we are likely to see returns from that position much sooner.

Dark0 · Apr 3, 2024

While I agree, everyone has different priorities. Mine is that the winning plan includes a marriage to Lihua in some form (prefer second husband over first) followed by any advisor position (with a preference for Stewardship) and no marriage to Meihua.
While the leading plan could be better, all in all I'm ok with it winning.

NoxOfUmbra · Apr 3, 2024

[X] Plan: Left Hand of the Empress
[X] Plan Backdoor to Everything
[X] Plan: Imperial Alliance & Mutual Benefits
[X] Plan A Better China(as Second Husband)

[X] Accept. Kallen may return to Japan and spend this year at her leisure.

Fuck it, let's do an attempt then

[X] Plan: Research and Productivity for A Better China
-[X] The Empress' Hand in Marriage.
--[X] As Second Husband.
-[X] A Place in Her Administration.
--[X] Stewardship
-[X] The Taklamakan Desert Research Grant & Small Political/Trade Favors (For Charles).
-[X] Psionic Recruitment & Research Foundation on Chinese Soil.

Thrawn's hand · Apr 3, 2024

[X] Plan A Better China

ThatGuyWithIdeas · Apr 3, 2024

[X] Accept. Kallen may return to Japan and spend this year at her leisure.

[X] Plan A Better China
[X] Plan: Imperial Alliance & Mutual Benefits
[X] Plan A Better China(as Second Husband)
[X] Plan: Research and Productivity for A Better China

LuxEterna · Apr 3, 2024

ThatGuyWithIdeas said:
As it is, the only plan that has the Stewardship advisor position and still has a chance to overtake the plans that are hyperfocused on long term is Plan A Better China, so if you want to ensure that the Stewardship advisor position reward is taken, then vote for that plan.

i would prefer a stewardship positon but i am able to tolerate a piety ministry position as long as we dont get the spot as first consort because that is an absolute no from me not only for the implications of disregarding the advice of euphie that told us second consort would be best for our aims and plans and if we disregard her advice then what did we get her as an advisor for?

and lastly the fact that i believe lihua wants IC is to have xingkes baby inherit the CF after her and that requires him to be the first consort
so taking that position from xingke will cost us much more than people are expecting

Randino Treviani said:
Ehh. I feel like we were extra nice last year, last two years really, between protecting her people from new heaven and giving Xingke sanctuary, risking Lelouch's entire future on coming to lihua's aid, risking life and limb to achieve double flipping of guangzhou's forces to prevent civilian casualties, rescuing Meihua, getting her back right away despite all the conflicting priorities, that we should have some leeway here, and it's not like we can't make up for this or don't intend to.

i think you are too optimistic here cause there is a reason why letting xingke going first was part of the path to blank check and not letting him will have a steeper price than you can imagine
and second i dont care about making up for some loss in SL but that the position as first consort comes with commitments and responsibilities on the same level as the promise to euphie and the minor benefits of having our child inherit the CF after lihua and some extra prestige dont make up for the extra effort we will have to put into it

so i will vote for a plan that has lelouch as second consort but a piety advisor over one that has my prefered stewardship position but places us as first consort

NoxOfUmbra said:
I do not like A Better China just for the First husband position, which we don't want because of all the commitments and public appearances that come with it, I'm voting for the version that has us as second husband however. Please note we have been told on 2 occasions how the best outcome comes from Second Husband, as much as people hate the first one, once in the guide and once through the Euphemia opinion. It's just the most balanced and logical approach in both required and expected investment on our part, and in the benefits we can bring to China and to ourselves.

As such I cannot vote for [] Plan A Better China with Uncle Victor, and I'm very firm on my opinion about that point, even when that plan has all the other options I truly want.

i totally agree with you

ThatGuyWithIdeas said:
The main issue with the leading plan and the runner-up is the Piety advisor position, which doesn't seem all that worth it and will likely take a lot of time to get us anything that's good for us. In my eyes, it would be better to take the Stewardship advisor position, since we are likely to see returns from that position much sooner.

sure get me a new plan that has stewardship advisor and places us as second consort and i will vote for it

[X] Plan: Left Hand of the Empress
[X] Plan Backdoor to Everything
[X] Plan: Imperial Alliance & Mutual Benefits
[X] Plan A Better China(as Second Husband)
[X] Plan A Union of Dynasties and Economies + a different Agenda.
[X] Plan: Research and Productivity for A Better China

spartaner055 · Apr 3, 2024

[X] Plan: Left Hand of the Empress
[X] Plan Alliance without Imperial Marriage
[X] Accept. Kallen may return to Japan and spend this year at her leisure.

Fanhunter696 · Apr 3, 2024

In my case, I would prefer the Plan A Better China to win because even if I would prefer to be the second husband like the rest of the options significantly more, but I am unlikely to retire my support from Plan: Left Hand of the Empress because Plan Alliance without Imperial Marriage is way too close to win for comfort

ThatGuyWithIdeas · Apr 3, 2024

If Plan Left Hand of the Empress is willing to drop Piety advisor for Stewardship advisor, I would be willing to vote for it over Plan Alliance without Imperial Marriage.

Neo-Chan · Apr 3, 2024

[X] Plan: Left Hand of the Empress
[X] Plan Backdoor to Everything
[X] Plan: Imperial Alliance & Mutual Benefits
[X] Plan A Better China(as Second Husband)
[X] Plan A Union of Dynasties and Economies + a different Agenda.
[X] Plan: Research and Productivity for A Better China

[X] Accept. Kallen may return to Japan and spend this year at her leisure.

Personally, I would prefer being the stewardship advisor but at the same time, the idea of not marrying the Empress is a total non-starter for me. We went into this planning to marry the Empress and the reasons for that have not really changed at all. We've got WOG that if we want the best outcome we shouldn't go for the first consort so I'm down for avoiding that and just being the second consort, especially if we back Euphie's go at the throne.

meianmaru · Apr 3, 2024

ThatGuyWithIdeas said:
If Plan Left Hand of the Empress is willing to drop Piety advisor for Stewardship advisor, I would be willing to vote for it over Plan Alliance without Imperial Marriage.

Changing any plan that people have already voted for is... problematic. Especially this late to the vote. Because some of the people who have voted might not be checking back before the vote has already ended. And so might miss the chance to change their vote if they won't like the new plan.

LuxEterna · Apr 3, 2024

meianmaru said:
Changing any plan that people have already voted for is... problematic. Especially this late to the vote. Because some of the people who have voted might not be checking back before the vote has already ended. And so might miss the chance to change their vote if they won't like the new plan.

yeah and because its during the middle of the week many will be far to busy to read the massive amount of posts in the thread, eg i missed the entire moratium and a lot of the early voting and discussion period because i was either asleep or at work

and honestly with how close the vote is it might make sense to extend the voting period for a bit to see if the result might not change to a truly compromise plan

Temes1066 · Apr 3, 2024

[X] Plan: Left Hand of the Empress
[X] Plan Backdoor to Everything
[X] Plan: Imperial Alliance & Mutual Benefits
[X] Plan A Better China(as Second Husband)
[X] Plan A Union of Dynasties and Economies + a different Agenda.
[X] Plan: Research and Productivity for A Better China

Dark0 · Apr 3, 2024

Probably to late for it but I'll throw my own plan into the mix as well.

[X]Plan: Humanities Interest
-[X] The Empress' Hand in Marriage.
--[X] As Second Husband.
-[X] A Place in Her Administration.
--[X] Stewardship
-[X] The Taklamakan Desert Research Grant & Small Political/Trade Favors (For Charles).
-[X] A Formal Non-Aggression Treaty & Defensive Treaty Between the Federation & Britannia.

[X] Plan: Left Hand of the Empress

[X] Plan Backdoor to Everything

[X] Plan A Better China

[X] Plan A Better China(as Second Husband)

[X] Plan: Imperial Alliance & Mutual Benefits

[X] Plan A Union of Dynasties and Economies + a different Agenda.

[X] Plan A Better China with Uncle Victor

[X] Plan: Research and Productivity for A Better China

Semper Ad Meliora (Code Geass/Britannian Royalty Quest)

Shadow of the night

Treize died for our sins

Shadow of the night

Treize died for our sins

Treize died for our sins

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